Planting Churches among the City's Poor - Volume 1

P ART I: D EVELOPING U RBAN C ONGREGATIONS • 63

less wealth, and therefore as lesser people.” 114 Leaders must overcome this attitude and draw out the distinctive gifts God has given each person.

In addition to the informal discipleship training provided by church planters, developing indigenous leaders also should include formal educational training. While such training will not be a requirement for church leadership, church planters should promote the benefit of formal Bible and theological education. 115 Suburban churches can be called upon to help with the costs of such training. The apprentice leaders of the discipling groups become the focus of indigenous decision making in Celebration. These leaders form the nucleus of indigenous leadership for the emerging church. They are the interim “elders.” Through this nucleus the church planters discern the timing of the move from discipling groups to Celebration. Jack Redford says,”Hopefully the group will remain a mission fellowship until at least four groups are meeting in different parts of the community.” 116 The following list of questions will help church planters know when to make the transition from mission fellowship to the next stage of forming a Celebration worship group. 117 1. Is the adult nucleus large enough to staff a beginning worship service, Christian education program and basic church outreach? 118 2. Is there unity and oneness of purpose that will insure a cohesive church? 3. Is there enough understanding of the basics of Christian living?

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114 Claerbaut, p. 195

115 Church planters should explore the local availability of programs like the Center for Urban Theological Studies (C.U.T.S.) in Philadelphia or the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education (S.C.U.P.E.) in Chicago which are designed to train urban Christian workers. Many Seminaries and Bible schools are now developing programs specifically designed to train indigenous leaders for ministry in the inner city.

116 Redford, p. 68

117 See Redford, p. 69

118 The nucleus must be large enough to manage `indigenous’ activities and programs. Church planters must not project suburban expectations on the emerging urban church.